CRI analyzes that despite reduced incidence rates of measles, rubella and mumps in China in recent years, there is still a big gap between the actual incidence rate of measles and the targeted incidence rate set by WHO, which is required to be less than 1/ 1 million people.

In 2012, China’s incidence rate of measles was recorded the lowest, which was only 4.6/ 1 million people, but this rate has shown an uptrend since 2013. The incidence rates of rubella and mumps demonstrated an overall declining trend between 2012 and 2016.

According to CRI, there have been four mainstream vaccines related to measles, rubella and mumps in China by the end of 2017. (1) Measles live attenuated vaccines: five enterprises hold production permits. (2) Measles-mumps combined live attenuated vaccines: two enterprises hold production permits. (3) Measles-rubella combined live attenuated vaccines: two enterprises hold production permits. (4) Measles-mumps-rubella combined live attenuated vaccine (measles-mumps-rubella vaccine): two enterprises hold production permits. In addition, imported measles-mumps-rubella vaccines produced by Glaxo SmithKline are launched into the Chinese market, namely Priorix. Although several enterprises possess production permits of MMR vaccines in China, a part of them have ceased production.

Research by CRI suggests that the sales volume of MMR vaccines exhibited a fluctuating trend in China between 2013 and 2017. This fluctuation is mainly attributed to factors such as government policies and market demand. In 2016, the sales volume of MMR vaccines exceeded 70 million.

The MMR vaccine is gradually taking up the market shares of other vaccines because of its good effect, preventing three types of infectious diseases.

Since 2008, the domestic MMR vaccine has been included in China’s planned immunization, and provided free for children of appropriate ages by the government. This measure has promoted the development of the MMR vaccine industry in China. From a long-term perspective, MMR vaccines are expected to be the mainstream products, which will gradually substitute monovalent and combined vaccines.

CRI predicts a promising prospect of the MMR vaccine market since the loosing birth control policy is projected to contribute to an annual newborn population of 20 million or more in China during 2018 and 2022. It is estimated that the market shares of MMR vaccines will rise from 70% in 2017 to over 90% in 2022.